


Crazy Little Thing Called Love

by our_eternal_love_affair



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angel Dust-Typical Sexual Content (Hazbin Hotel), Flirty Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Fluff and Smut, Helpful Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Human Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Human Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Human Husk (Hazbin Hotel), Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Making Love, Minor Charlie Magne/Vaggie, Sex Positive Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Slut Shaming, Smart Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Soft Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:41:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22907959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/our_eternal_love_affair/pseuds/our_eternal_love_affair
Summary: Alastor LeBlanc has never felt the need to get any more than platonically involved with other people, and even then, it's only ever for fun times - Until he meets "Angel", a boy in his senior cohort. They strike up a small conversation, and before he knows it, Alastor's caught himself in a brand new situation.
Relationships: Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 54
Kudos: 206





	1. I Just Can't Handle It

Alastor sighed to himself as he uncomfortably adjusted his collar, feeling the hot summer air leaking in from the glass sliding doors of Charlie Magne's large town house. She was the daughter of the senator, after all. It wasn't like that mattered to anyone, though. You either liked her or wanted her to shut up. She was the founder of the school's buddy system - which was a unanimously decided thumbs down. It pitted "troubled" students together and helped them stay out of trouble. Really it was just a cause for fights, but as long as no one died, the school couldn't care less what those crazy kids did. And so Charlie was having a party on this blazing hot Friday night, celebrating that one person joined willingly. Alastor had come to this party because why? Because he adored Charlie - She was like an excitable older sister to him, and she was a theatre kid, just like him. He couldn't not go along with her stuff, it made her smile, and that made Alastor smile. He stood there, nursing his ginger ale - the most non-sugary drink there, as Charlie didn't have any alcohol, that's why not many people showed up - and looking around, deep brown eyes bored behind his glasses. He adored Charlie, it was true, but... There were seven people here: Alastor, his distant, distant cousins, James "Jimmy" "Jim" Husker (he preferred Husk), his step-sister, Nina - although everyone called her NIffty, as she was notoriously skilled at sewing, making her middle school graduation dress from scratch, as well as her outfit tonight, which seemed to be inspired by 50s diner uniforms -, Vaggie, Charlie's girlfriend, Charlie herself, and two people Alastor didn't know. Both were tall, one being around 6'4 and the other somehow being even taller, standing at 6'8. The shorter of the two strangers was someone Alastor had seen strutting through the halls, and for some reason, all of the guys seemed to watch after him like he were some idol. He had dyed blonde hair - although, the brown roots were obvious as all Hell -, and seemed to have heterochromia eyes, one blue and one green. They contrasted with his olive, sunkissed skin. He had an air about him, something Alastor could only describe as womanly. His apparent partner had a darker shade of olive skin and seemed to be covered in designer clothes from head to toe. He had the shorter male on his arm as if he were some trophy bride in the 60s, but Alastor ignored it. Looking at the taller one hurt his eyes, so he just sighed and looked away, seeing Charlie move to the shorter of the strangers and gently take his arm, leaving the designer-clad male behind. Charlie gently tugged her victim to Alastor, who stood straight and smiled - well, more than usual. Alastor's brown face was always plastered with a smile. It set unease upon most who looked at him - as he saw Charlie.  
"Al! I wanna introduce you to someone..." She trailed off, bringing the male forward. His mismatched eyes trailed up and down Alastor and a smirk played on his lips. He extended his hand and licked his lips. 

Alastor held out his hand for the other to shake.  
"Alastor LeBlanc, my dear! Pleasure to meet you." He said politely. The male shook Alastor's hand and giggled slightly - he really was feminine.  
"I'm Angel." He said, biting his lip. And in a flash, Charlie had abandoned them to go introduce everyone to each other.  
"So... What brings you to the future high school has-been club?" Alastor asked, a sarcastic ring to his cheerful words. Angel shrugged.  
"Cha-Cha is one of my favourite people, and I wanna meet some of the bad boys of our school." Alastor didn't like that implication. He felt his face go red, causing Angel to smirk even wider. "What's wrong, sugar? See somethin' ya like?" He questioned, gesturing to his outfit. A white stringy tank top, black denim shorts and a pink shawl. It was quite nice, actually, but Alastor wasn't focused on that at the moment. He was worried about his personal space as Angel leaned closer. Alastor cleared his throat and Angel seemed to get the message, mumbling a small 'sorry' and leaning against the wall, taking a sip from a bottle in a brown paper bag. Alastor rose a brow.  
"Is that alcohol?" He asked. Angel gave a nod and offered the bottle to Alastor. The latter was about to refuse, but he could use a little bit of liquor right now, so he took the bottle and allowed himself two gulps of the liquid. It was strong - Alastor liked it strong. "What is that, Angel? It's got a nice kick."  
Angel giggled and took a sip himself.  
"Bourbon, stolen from the top shelf of my pops' liquor cabinet." He said with a mischevious grin. Alastor's own smile grew. He was starting to like this boy.

And just like that, Alastor had made a friend. They talked about going into their last year of high school, about what it was like being friends with Charlie, and that Alastor had a car. He'd recently used his savings to buy an old convertible that he was going to spend the summer fixing up. Angel's apparent perpetual smirk softened to a smile as he heard about Alastor's plans for the summer. He seemed to really enjoy talking to Alastor and listen too, being eager for any kind of real conversation. The two exchanged numbers, Angel putting yellow hearts around Alastor's name. That made him panic a little, until Angel explained that it meant they were friends. Alastor chuckled it off, explaining that he didn't keep up with anything, it was too troublesome. Plus, he had his own aesthetic, which Angel totally dug. They'd spoken for the entire duration of the small gathering, Alastor looking down at his watch and seeing that curfew was going to hit soon. He sighed and looked up at Angel, who seemed to be frowning at his phone.  
"What's the matter, dear?" Alastor asked. Angel sighed in return.  
"Valentino, the guy I was with earlier." Angel explained, seeming exasperated and fed up. Alastor rose a brow.  
"What's his deal?" He asked. "You seem kind of miffed."  
Angel just put on a smile and laughed it off. "That's a story for another time. Let's hang out soon, okay, Al?" He asked. Alastor nodded and waved after Angel as he left. He then announced he had to leave and then headed back to catch the bus home, willing to pay extra so long as he didn't have to walk home. The way home was fine during the day, but Alastor's vision wasn't that good at night, so he would rather not trip and fall on his face. God knows healthcare was expensive in this country, and he wasn't sure if their insurance covered goon. But all that aside, he put in his headphones as he sat in the bus, putting his playlist on shuffle, smiling softer as he heard the song Devil in Disguise come on. Tonight had gone really well, and for some reason, he couldn't get Angel out of his head.


	2. Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel and Alastor spend some time getting to know each other, causing Alastor to panic slightly at the new, warm feeling in his chest.

Angel texted Alastor the next day, telling him that he was free today if he wanted to do anything. Alastor, having no sense of 'too soon', immediately replied that he'd be perfectly happy to hang out. Both knew the unspoken rule of meeting at either of their houses was a little too personal, so they just agreed to go get some ice cream to beat the heat. Alastor normally dressed somewhat formal - slacks and a long sleeved button up - but he just couldn't bear the heat, so he instead opted for a red short sleeved button up that was only half closed and a pair of black shorts that ended just above his knees. Tying up his red Converse, he sighed. It was just a casual day with a new friend, so there was no need to dress up. But why was he panicking and constantly fixing his hair? He just sighed and went to grab his bike, riding to the ice cream parlour that Angel had suggested. This was going to be fine - Alastor was going to be fine. He was running over all of the possible 'hello's he could say, deciding on a simple but classic 'hello'. He gulped slightly, feeling his heart race. He wasn't sure why he was so anxious about hanging out with Angel, but he was. It was a feeling that he couldn't explain, even if he tried his hardest. Ever since he and Angel shared a drink, he couldn't take his mind off of him. It was almost like he'd cast a spell on Alastor, which actually made sense to the poor boy. He knew that he and Angel were the same age - Alastor being some months older than Angel - and they were in the senior cohort this coming school year, but they hadn't had any classes together in the past. He'd seen freshman, sophomore, junior and senior alike gaze after Angel, whether they were male or female. Alastor had chalked it up to Angel's charismatic energy when he initially saw it, but in hindsight, he knew exactly why they stared. 

Locking his bike on the city-provided racks outside of the ice cream parlour, Alastor waited patiently - or at least he was trying to act patient, ignoring that he was counting the seconds - and scrolling through all of the messages they'd sent each other in only a day. It was like they'd known each other for years and years, Angel being an easy person to talk to. For some reason, Angel would never share his opinion, only vaguely addressing how he felt on somewhat serious topics. It was like he was afraid of letting something slip. What was he so afraid of? Alastor had no idea, thus burning from curiosity. He didn't want to pry, though. He'd rather throw himself into the shark-infested part of the ocean wearing board shorts made of steak than scare off this one person, and he yearned to know why. He felt relief and terror wash over him as he saw Angel walk down the street towards him, wearing a pair of blue bell-bottomed jeans and a long sleeved pink shirt with a white heart that had 'Angel' written on the inside. Angel's face was free of makeup today, aside from a little mascara and some pink lip tint. Alastor had never seen anyone so gorgeous in his lifetime. His usual smile softened as Angel came up to Alastor, smiling softly himself.  
"Hey, Al." Angel greeted casually. Alastor had rehearsed it in his head a literal hundred times. All he had to say was 'Hello, Angel', and yet...  
"H-Hi...Ello, Angel. Hello." Alastor, who was normally so calm and collected, had fumbled his hello. Alastor was about to jump in front of an oncoming Uber Eats bicycle's path until Angel giggled softly. Alastor had yearned to hear that giggle since last night. He went to sleep thinking of Angel and woke up thinking of him, and he couldn't begin to figure out why. He just smiled wider and looked to Angel, before becoming puzzled. It was 38 degrees Celsius out here in this weather, and Angel was wearing jeans and a thin sweater. Angel excused it as wanting to stay sun safe when asked, but it still gave Alastor a strange feeling in his gut. He decided not to push it any further and went inside with Angel, listening to his thrilling story about how there were some guys from school on the bus and they wouldn't leave him alone. This Angel seemed a little different from last night's Angel - he wasn't overly flirty, he wasn't getting too close to Alastor... It was almost like he'd stripped that part of him down to almost nothing, but it didn't feel forced. It felt... Natural. They ordered their ice cream, Angel crinkling up his adorable little button nose as Alastor requested pistachio and ordering his own bubblegum and cotton candy cup. Angel looked to the person at the counter, an old Italian man and smiled.  
_"Grazie signor Bianchi, dici a Donna che ho detto ciao."_ He said with complete fluency. Mr. Bianchi nodded and gave Angel a smile as he handed him the cup of ice cream and a wooden paddle to eat it with.  
_"Sarà felice di sentirvelo dire."_ He replied, his smile friendly. Alastor gave the old man a smile and paid for both of their ice creams - he insisted, despite Angel's protests - and then sat down with Angel, eyebrows raised.

"Angel, you speak Italian?" Alastor questioned. Angel giggled and covered his mouth a little. He sighed softly and smiled at Alastor, resting his chin in the palm of his hand as he leaned on the table.  
"Al, I am Italian. My family moved here just after my sister and I turned two." He said. Alastor felt stupid. Angel noticed that from the look on Alastor's face and gave him a friendly gaze. "Don't even worry, Al. Most people think I'm Hungarian or somethin'. I was born in Naples, but trust me, I'm more American than Italian." Alastor was honestly just relieved that he hadn't offended Angel. Angel started eating his ice cream, watching Alastor eat his as well. After finishing, the pair began talking again, smiles never leaving their faces. Alastor didn't know why, but he just loved hearing Angel talk, and he didn't know why. Little did he know, Angel felt the same way, although there was one thing holding him back.  
"So, Angel, who was that guy with you last night?" Alastor asked curiously. Angel seemed to shrink a little, but quickly put his smile back on.  
"Oh, Val? He's just my fella." He said simply. Alastor almost frowned. Almost. He nodded and tilted his head.  
"How long have you two been together?" Alastor asked. Angel thought for a moment, seeming a little upset, but it was underlying.  
"Just over three months? But between me and you, it seems like he's gettin' bored." Angel said, seeming almost hopeful. Alastor didn't comment anything that brought his opinion in - he didn't like 'Val' already - and shrugged.  
"I wouldn't know. I don't know how those kinds of things work, I've never dated anyone." Angel's eyes widened slightly. It was a little bit of a shock to him, it seemed. He didn't comment on Alastor's lack of a relationship and nodded, pouring himself a glass of water. He was a little sweaty, Alastor noticed.  
"Angel, it's boiling outside. I understand being sunsafe, but you seem like you're going to have a heatstroke." Alastor said, worry laced in his tone. Angel shook his head. He excused again that he didn't want to get sunburned. Alastor felt like that was a lie, but he left it unsaid. He had left a lot of things unsaid today. After Angel finished his glass of water, the pair exited the store, going to Alastor's bike.  
"I guess I better start walkin' home." Angel said. Alastor shook his head, unlocking his bike.  
"You'll have a heatstroke. I'll give you a ride home." He said, getting on. Angel was about to refuse, but he didn't want to get a heatstroke and risk having a heatstroke and going into the hospital, where his shirt would be removed for examination of his body. That was the last thing he wanted. He allowed Alastor to bike him home, giving him directions and making small talk along the way. When Alastor stopped his bike outside of Angel's place, he exhaled in surprise. It wasn't a house, it was a penthouse apartment! His family must've been wealthy to afford it. He decided that was a question for another time. He watched Angel get off his bike and felt his heart ache as Angel said goodbye, although his mood was quickly lifted as Angel gave him a friendly hug, resting his head on top of Alastor's.  
"Let's hang out again." He said. Alastor normally didn't enjoy being touched by others, but this was an exception. His smile widened almost impossibly as he hugged Angel back, nodding.  
"Yes, let's do that." 

They once again said goodbye, Angel going to the gate of the expensive block of flats and opening the electronic gate, disappearing behind it with a wave. Alastor sighed softly before starting to ride home, thinking of Angel's sweet perfume mixed with the natural scent of summer, thinking of how Angel smiled at him, thinking of how Angel had giggled, and most importantly, about how Angel had hugged him. Alastor felt a warmness in his chest that filled him with butterflies. What was this feeling? It was new, and wonderful and exciting, something he'd never felt before, but also... It was - excuse his language - fucking terrifying!


	3. Sugar, Sugar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor has spent the entire summer with Angel before being faced with a question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All temperatures are in degrees Celsius because I am Australian.

The next day, the pair went to the movies. The day after that, they hung out at the mall. Every day that Angel could spare, they hung out. By August, they were inseparable. Angel felt like he'd known Alastor for years, and the latter felt the same. Today was another heat hazed day, and Angel was in Alastor's garage, watching the creole boy fixing up his car. Alastor's smile was small, but ever-present. Angel couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this comfortable around a guy. He knew what boys wanted - he knew well. Angel wheezed slightly before reaching into his bag and bringing out an inhaler, taking two puffs and a breath before repeating the process. He was sweating like a priest in an all-boys school, most likely because he was wearing a sweater on a 40 degree day. Alastor noticed that Angel rarely wore anything that wasn't long sleeved - even the night they'd met, Angel always kept his arms covered. It worried Alastor to think about why, because he knew what long sleeves were associated with. Was Angel engaging in self harm? He wanted to know so he could provide any help at all, but he felt it really wasn't polite to pry in such a manner, since their friendship was only two months old at this point. Alastor's crimson button down had the sleeves rolled up just past his elbows and was completely open, sweat glistening on his brown, slender abdomen as he leaned against the wall where Angel was. Angel was wearing an actual sweater and a pair of loose cotton trousers that covered his legs. Alastor had seen Angel's legs on the night they met, and the Italian seemed to have little problems showing them, yet when Angel was with Alastor, he covered them up. Alastor knew he may regret it, but he just had to ask. Whatever he had been feeling for Angel had grown stronger every day that they had known each other, and the thought of Angel hurting himself made Alastor feel a level of concern that he'd never experienced.

"Angel... We're under cover. You don't have to keep wearing that sweater. It's so hot. You can borrow one of my tank tops." Alastor said gently, reaching to touch Angel, who seemed to tense up extremely, pulling away a little before shaking his head.  
"Nah, I'm fine. Can never be too sunsafe..." Angel chuckled nervously. Alastor was seeing a lot of red flags. He sighed and shook his head, looking over Angel. "Al, I can tell you, whatever you're assuming I'm doing to myself, you're wrong. I don't do any of that." Alastor had his doubts, and he didn't want to be _that_ guy, but he just had to know.  
"Then show me your arms." He said simply. Angel was about to protest, but it seemed like any reason to fight it died in his throat. This was his chance. He could tell someone he trusted what he was thinking about. Angel gave a nod and slowly reached his shaking hands to the hem of his sweater, pulling it over his head and looking away as he felt an intense shame fall over him. Alastor was sure to think he was pathetic, and Alastor was the only person whose opinion actually mattered to Angel. He knew what he felt for the creole; it was pure adoration. He knew that even though he was with Valentino, Alastor just made Angel feel so warm inside. Although, with Angel's luck, Alastor would either be straight, or turn out to be just like Valentino. He looked back to Alastor shyly, about to say something, but all words halted as he saw the other's face. Alastor's smile. It was gone. Angel felt intense unease fill his gut as Alastor looked over Angel's torso and arms with a look of pure horror on his face. Alastor's hands shook, his eyes were wide behind his round framed glasses and his mouth hung agape slightly. He gulped and tried to formulate the words to convey his concern. Alastor didn't know how to calm himself down, to steel himself, but he just stood there in shock.

"A-Angel... Who did this to you?" Alastor stammered out, eyes traveling over the many purple and red bruises that littered his stomach and arms, some on his chest. The answer to that question hit Alastor in the face as he did the problem solving in his head. He'd first seen Angel in the last school year, walking through the halls, wearing shirts that showed his arms and shoulders or a little bit of midriff. He frequently saw Angel wearing these kinds of things all the way up until March, which is when Angel had started going out with... The horror on Alastor's face melted away into rage as he growled. "I'll kill him. I'll _fucking_ kill him!" He was almost roaring. What was coming over him? He didn't know. Angel quickly put his sweater back on and sniffed softly. Alastor calmed down enough to pull Angel into his chest and hug him protectively, stroking his hair. "Angel, how could he do this to you? Isn't he your... Why?" Alastor was confused beyond reasonable explanation. How could Valentino dare to put his hands on Angel? 

"He said he loved me, that's why he was doin' it, and I... I was so desperate for someone to actually love me instead of just usin' me for sex that I let it happen..." Angel sobbed, his tears soaking through the fabric of Alastor's shirt. Alastor furrowed his eyebrows, now under the - somewhat correct - impression that Angel's ex-boyfriends had slept with him and dumped him afterwards. He held Angel closer, shaking his head. He wanted so badly to free Angel, to help him, to do something. And he could. He had two options. Take matters into his own hands and get violent with Valentino in return, or... He could comfort Angel and do everything the calm and mature way. Normally, Alastor just used discreet violence on those who scorned him, but now that it was about Angel being a victim of domestic abuse... Alastor didn't want any more violence surrounding Angel.  
"Angel, you need to tell someone. Tell the school counselor. Get a restraining order, cut him off." Alastor implored. He didn't want Angel to suffer. "He has no right to hit you."  
Angel looked up at Alastor and couldn't help but smile. Despite Angel's ~~"hideous"~~ bruises, he was still willing to help him. Alastor's own worried, angry face slowly came back to a soft smile as Angel smiled. Angel had never told anyone, and he assumed that he would eventually become numb to Valentino's treatment; but Alastor was willing to stand by Angel as he healed. Angel felt his heart thud as he wiped his tears and looked down at Alastor. The only thought going through his head was that he wanted to kiss Alastor. "Angel, I don't think you know how much I care about you. I know it's a little weird, but I'm always thinking of ways to make you happy." Angel knew the look in Alastor's eyes. He knew that look well.

It was a look Angel had seen three times. The first, when he was 14. Mary Marillo had looked at him like that in the middle of chemistry, when they were partnered together. The second,Angel had just turned 15 and Brian Graham had invited him to go ice skating before asking him out - their relationship had lasted two months - and the last, Valentino, when he first transferred in from the private school that had burned down. Valentino was sweet at first, but it all went to Hell after a month. Angel didn't even remember what he had done, but he remembered Valentino hitting him with intent to bruise. Finally, Alastor was looking at him like this. And Angel was looking at him like that as well. Angel's smile widened a little.  
"Alastor... Do you like me?" Angel questioned. Alastor thought for a moment. Did he like Angel? He wanted to make him happy, he wanted to hold him close, and his heart fluttered whenever he was around. Alastor actually gave a nervous chuckle. How did he not realise it sooner? He bit his lip uneasily and nodded, looking up at Angel.  
"Y-Yeah... But it's okay if you don't feel the same way. Especially since you're with Valentino. I wouldn't want to force you into anything." Alastor murmured. Angel knew he shouldn't have, considering he had a boyfriend, but he closed his eyes as he slowly leaned down and pressed his lips to Alastor's, feeling his heart soar. Alastor jolted, having never kissed anyone, but he let his eyes close as he returned this new action, wrapping his arms around Angel and slowly pulling him closer. 

_To Hell with that loser Valentino_ , Angel thought. He'd made up his mind. He was going to be with Alastor, who made him happy.


	4. Love My Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor helps Angel end a dark chapter in his life and learns that the Italian is much more than his face value.

Alastor pulled away from the kiss after a few moments, eyes fluttering open as he looked up at Angel, whose eyes slowly opened as well, a smile forming on his lips. Alastor gave the same smile, gently stroking Angel's sides as they both laughed softly, Angel and Alastor's faces of honey and coffee tones were dusted pink as Alastor cleared his throat, leaning against the wall.   
"I like ya too, Al. I don't want ya ta feel like a rebound or nothin', cause I really like ya, but I wanna dump Val." He said. "I know that he'll probably try to hurt me again, so that's why I'm askin' this... Can ya come with me? I don't wanna leave it a day longer." He said. With the look on Angel's face befitting of his namesake, how could Alastor say no? He gave a nod, causing Angel's smile to widen as he leaned down to peck Alastor's lips. "You're a sweetheart, Al."  
Alastor smiled incredibly wider and buttoned up his shirt as he gently pulled away from Angel to go check up on the car. It was in reasonable condition when he bought it, so after spending all of his free time working on it, he had created a masterpiece. The cherry and black convertible was something straight out of an 80s movie, which Alastor was into. He did a quick check and looked to Angel with bright eyes.  
"I'll drive." 

And like that, they began the car ride to Valentino's house in the heights, only a fifteen minute's walk from Angel's own penthouse apartment. Valentino Sporcizia was the son of a very well to do family, much like Angel, although Angel's father's source of income was ambiguous. The Sporcizia family made their living in directing and producing adult films, which Alastor didn't actually care about - he cared that they were scumbags. Making a big deal out of everything and being just downright bothersome to everyone they came into contact with, it made sense that Valentino would have such entitlement above his head like a crown. In the car, Angel and Alastor were listening to the radio, Alastor's smile widening. He loved the radio - he always had. There was something so theatrical about using only your voice to convey your thoughts and feelings without visible body language. He knew he wanted to be a radio host, but he wasn't going to tell Angel that yet. He just listened as Angel sang to the song that was playing on the radio, the song having the feeling of summer condensed into it.  
"They'd put on a railroad... They'd dearly make us pay," Angel's voice was higher than the average male voice, so to hear him singing lower made Alastor's heart thud against his ribcage. Angel had spent his childhood singing in church with his sister, so naturally he was quite gifted. "For laughing in their faces, and making it our way..."  
Angel noticed that they were coming up to Valentino's house and stopped singing, tensing up a little. He felt the phantom pain of the savage beats Valentino laid upon Angel whenever he felt like it and gulped as Alastor parked a little down the street from Valentino's house. He pulled the keys out and reached over to take Angel's hand, smiling softly.  
"I won't let him hurt you, Angel. All you need to do is tell him it's over and then we can go from there." Alastor said gently. Angel would've been panicking if he was doing this by himself, but Alastor calmed his nerves; he had this weird way of making everything okay.  
Angel nodded and leaned over to give Alastor a quick peck on the cheek, causing the latter's smile to grow.   
"Okay, let's go." Angel said, opening the car door and shutting it behind him, hearing Alastor's car door open and close before he locked the car and walked over to Angel, taking his hand. Neither said anything more, only interlocking their hands as they walked up Valentino's driveway and ringing his doorbell, Angel once again tensing up at the sight of Valentino Sporcizia answering the door. He was wearing only the gaudiest silk robe and designer boxers, making Alastor even more irritated at him. He was just... The worst. The look on Valentino's face when he saw Angel was one of hunger - he looked like he wanted to rip Angel away from Alastor and slam the door in his face while he did whatever he wanted to the victim of his boredom. Alastor growled slightly, causing Valentino to look at Alastor, then down at the hand that held Angel's. The lustful look on Valentino's face morphed into one of rage as he looked at the pair in front of him. Angel had never felt smaller in his life. Here he was, in front of his boyfriend and Alastor, about to say what was truly on his mind. 

"Val... I wanna be with Al. I don't think you know just how much ya hurt me when ya started hitting me. Ya never had the decency to even look sorry about it. So it's over. I'm breaking up with you. Lose my number, don't talk to me anymore, and leave me alone. I ain't no one's plaything." Angel said. Valentino gave an angry smile accompanied by a glare.  
"That's the longest amount you've ever spoken to me, Angie. Surprised you can think about anythin' other than gettin' laid." Valentino seethed. Angel knew his past. Alastor growled again, but Angel hushed him.  
"Val, I'm smarter than ya think. I ain't never got nothin' lower than a B, and every single A I got was because I actually knew what I was doin'. I don't think you realise that I have thoughts too. Just because I look like some dumb blonde, doesn't mean I am one." Alastor looked over at Angel. He knew of his promiscuity, he knew the things people had said about Angel - that he slept with teachers, he was a teenage prostitute, this, that, whatever. Alastor recalled the night he'd first met Angel, where it seemed like he was holding back his opinions, especially when something got even a little political. Valentino gave a huff and crossed his arms.  
"Whatever, Angie. I can replace you with a snap of my fingers. You're modifiable." Alastor was about to hit Valentino really hard, until - _Angel laughed._

"You're even dumber than you dress, Val. Don't use words if you don't know what they mean. Modifiable means I can be changed, like you still own me. The word you're looking for is expendable." Angel said, causing Valentino's dark olive toned face to go red with furious embarrassment. "And I could say a Hell of a lot more about you, like the fact that you're reprehensible and insufferable. Do you know what those words mean?"  
Valentino flashed a look of confusion, before grumbling.   
"You're a slut." Alastor expected Angel to be upset at that remark, but instead, he just laughed again, as if he had no care in the world.  
"That's it? You've called me worse. Come up with somethin' creative ta call me, you sack of poorly packaged horse shit." It seemed Valentino had nothing to come back with, and he knew he couldn't hit Angel if there was anyone to witness it, so he just cursed at Angel some more before slamming the door.

Alastor looked over at Angel in shock. Not only was Angel bilingual, he had a better vocabulary than he let on. Angel let out a sigh of relief as he looked to Alastor and smiled.   
"It feels good to say how you feel." He said simply. Alastor gave a nod, but was still gobsmacked. He knew that the other was sharp tongued, but Angel was legitimately book smart, which - it shamed Alastor to say - surprised him. Angel turned around as he took Alastor's hand, walking back to the car with him. Alastor stayed quiet. So not only was Angel hiding his pain, he was hiding his intelligence as well. But why? Alastor couldn't figure out for the life of him why Angel would pretend to be less smart than he was, but then he thought about it. Valentino displayed rage at being painted as dumb, as had many other guys at their school whenever they looked like they didn't know what they were talking about. Alastor grew more and more attached to Angel the more he found out about him. He was smart, conscious of the weight of his words, and sweet. No wonder everyone seemed to love him. When they got back into the car, Angel spoke up, looking over at Alastor.  
"When the bruises fade, I won't wear sweaters anymore. But that doesn't mean that I'm gonna start wearin' basically nothin unless I'm at home." He said. Alastor wasn't sure why Angel was saying this.  
"Alright. Angel, I hope you don't mind me asking, but... Was it only your upper body that he hit?"

Angel gave a nod, sighing softly.  
"Yeah."  
Alastor hummed in thought. Another question arose in him, so he asked.  
"Then why do you wear jeans and the like around me? The night I met you, you were wearing shorts." Alastor said. Angel gave him a smile.  
"Because when I'm with you, I don't gotta worry about how easy it is to take my clothes off. Val wanted me to wear stuff that he felt were provocative enough to attract attention so he could show me off." He explained. Alastor smiled in return, leaning over to peck Angel's lips.  
"You could be wearing a chicken suit for all it matters, doll. All I care about is that you don't give yourself a heatstroke in this weather." He remarked sweetly. Angel giggled and wrapped his arms around Alastor as he pulled him into another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sporcizia meaning: Dirt, filth, grime...  
> ;D


	5. Teenage Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor and Angel are going steady and spend the last night of summer together under the stars.

Alastor sighed as he looked across at Angel. It was the last night of the summer holidays, and there Angel was, sitting on the hood of Alastor's car, head resting on the creole's shoulder as they looked at the stars twinkling above. It had been a few weeks since they'd started dating, and Alastor couldn't even picture life without Angel in it anymore. For the first time, Alastor had someone who he felt something more than friendship for, and it excited him. His stomach was thumped with butterfly wings every time that Angel smiled at him. And every time they kissed, Alastor felt wings growing out of his back; he could fly away with the elation of being so close to the boy he adored so much.  
"Al... When school goes back, I understand if ya don't wanna be seen with me. I know what people say about me." Angel piped up, causing Alastor to look over Angel's face with a soft smile. He cupped Angel's cheeks and shook his head, gently pulling him closer.  
"Aw hell, doll." Alastor began. "I'm not like that. I promise that I won't ditch you just because some people can't keep their mouths shut." Angel seemed to smile a little at that. Angel closed his eyes and leant in to kiss Alastor's lips slowly, causing the latter to let his own eyes flutter closed and lean into it as well, having gotten much better at kissing over the time they'd been dating. He tilted his head as he leant closer, trailing his hands down and letting them rest gently at Angel's waist, which seemed to please the Italian, who shuddered and gave a gentle moan, making Alastor's already pink face darken to red. After a minute of gently kissing Angel, Alastor slowly pulled away, eyes meeting Angel's. 

"Hey, Al?" Angel prodded softly, looking over at Alastor. His face seemed to be confused, but Alastor's smile was as adoring as ever, ready to answer whatever question Angel may have had.  
"Yes?" Alastor wrapped his arms around Angel, pulling him closer and hugging him. Angel smiled a little.  
"Why do you call me doll?" He asked. Alastor knew exactly why. Angel had expected the answer to be that he had a figure like a doll, or something like that, but Alastor wasn't thinking about that.  
"Because your eyes are large and innocent when in their natural state. You're deserving of your namesake. I know you're used to people calling you more R-18 stuff, but I don't know, I just think you're gorgeous in the traditional way." Alastor explained. Angel's look of confusion softened into appreciation as he hugged Alastor tightly.  
"Al, I... That's one of the nicest things a fella's ever said to me." Alastor held Angel close, shaking his head.  
"Well I promise that's not the only nice thing I'll say." He said. Angel gently pulled away from the hug to kiss Alastor quickly, taking his hand.  
"My real name is Anthony." Angel said without hesitation. He didn't tell many people that, and he'd even had his name on the school roll changed to Angel. 

Alastor's eyes widened.  
"Anthony?" He repeated, to which Angel nodded. "I love it. It's beautiful. You know it's derived from Roman. It means highly praiseworthy. How fitting." Alastor smiled, causing Angel to blush. "If I may... Why Angel?" He asked. Angel's smile softened a little, seeming a little sad.  
"My momma used to call me her angel, because I took care of her. She was always a fragile lady, but... Her health got worse, and she died when Molly and I were halfway through middle school. It's been a long time, and I know I should get over it, but I miss her every fucking day," Angel's voice cracked as a tear rolled down his cheek. Alastor _frowned_ , pulling Angel into a hug. "it's really hard without her."  
Alastor nodded, stroking Angel's hair.  
"You don't have to get over it, really. All you have to do is move forward. It's okay to miss someone when they pass." Alastor said softly. He remembered when his grandmother had died - he was four. All he could remember from that time was his mother falling to her knees and crying whenever she was cooking or doing the laundry or cleaning. He hadn't understood at the time, but now that he was older, he did. If anything were to happen to his mother right now, he would feel just like she had when his grandmother had. "It's okay to be upset about things like this. Just don't let it take over your life. Don't dwell on the _should have_ s and _could have_ s. She loved you and still does, even up in heaven."  
Angel looked up at Alastor through his tears and smiled slightly as he sniffed and wiped them away, holding Alastor closer.  
"I dunno what I'd do without ya, Al." He said, squeezing the creole slightly. "I'm real glad to have met ya."

And when school started back up again, everything was just fine. Alastor would pick Angel and Molly up, bringing him to school. They'd all smile and sing and laugh about nothing in particular before parking and going into their separate classes, meeting up again during shared free periods and lunch. Angel didn't really have any friends after breaking up with Valentino, but he was relieved that he got to make some real friends. He got along with Alastor's friends like they were originally his own, which one of them was. Angel and Alastor sat next to each other in whatever classes they had, and life was good. After school, Alastor would drive Angel wherever they wanted to go, mostly Mr. Bianchi's ice cream parlour, the place of their first unofficial date. Everything was blissful, but... Senior year was proving to be just a little bit stressful.


	6. Can't Help Falling In Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel and Alastor are busy with classes and try to find some alone time; which they get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have two stories that I'm going to write after this one, and so I ask: Which first?  
> Comedic Human AU RadioDust that's overall very pure.  
> Dark, twisted Human AU RadioDust that's reminiscent of a certain piece of 50s literature.

Angel sighed as he sat in Alastor's room, watching the other scratch his head as he looked at his English essay. Angel gently leaned over to look at it, pressing a soft kiss to Alastor's cheek. The creole smiled a little, the expression being slightly clouded by stress. Angel read it and smiled too.  
"It looks good. What don't you like about it?" He asked. Alastor just shrugged and set his laptop aside, looking to Angel.  
"Doesn't matter. I'm sorry, doll. I invited you over and we haven't done anything but sit here." Alastor waved his hand dismissively and sat with his back against the headboard, gently pulling Angel close to cuddle him, resting his head on the taller boy's shoulder. It had been a good two and a half months that Angel and Alastor had been going out now, which didn't surprise either of them, considering how serious they were about each other. Angel looked down at Alastor and smiled softly.  
"It's okay, baby. I get it if you wanna work on it." He said, nuzzling the top of Alastor's head with his own.

That was one of the things Alastor loved most about Angel. He was understanding and compromising, always finding some way to solve whatever problem came their way. Even though Angel was alright with Alastor focusing on his essay, Alastor himself was less than excited about it. It wasn't that it was too hard, Alastor could choose the right words if he focused. But that was the thing - he couldn't focus. He wanted to hang out with Angel, to hold him close and chat with him, quiet words and soft smiles. Alastor gave a sigh and shook his head, leaning up to peck Angel's lips.  
"I don't feel like it, and I've still got plenty of time." He excused. Angel just nodded and leaned down to kiss Alastor again, loving the feeling of being kissed by someone who he cared about so much. Alastor's eyes fluttered closed, as did Angel's as Alastor hummed and tilted his head, smiling slightly. Despite Angel's reputation, he was very happy to move slowly when in a relationship - he and Alastor hadn't done anything but kiss yet, so they were still in the innocent stage of their relationship. Although, this kiss was testing that as Angel somehow pulled Alastor even closer, hearing the other hum softly in satisfaction. Alastor carefully turned so that he was leaning over Angel, who laid on his back, lacing his fingers into Alastor's hair. 

Alastor, having never done this with anyone before, was slightly taken aback by it, but what surprised him most was his lack of will to stop. He felt like he would die if he didn't keep kissing Angel right now, running his hands down the other's chest and gently resting them on Angel's slender hips, causing the other to gasp slightly. When you considered the relationship guidelines proposed by their peers, Alastor and Angel had been moving extremely slow, which they were both happy with, although this was the first time they'd been in a situation like this. Alastor gave a slight groan into the kiss as he felt Angel's tongue slide over his bottom lip. Just because Alastor was inexperienced didn't mean he was naive. He parted his lips and felt all logic slip away as Angel's tongue met his own. Alastor shuddered and leaned closer, holding Angel's hips tighter, hearing the other whimper slightly. Angel gently tugged Alastor's hair, causing the other to groan again, giving Angel's hips a squeeze. Soon enough, Angel's lungs burned for air, so he slowly pulled away, a string of saliva connecting the two as they let their eyes open and meet, both blushing heavily. Alastor panted softly, his soft, shallow breaths matching up with Angel's. Alastor looked down at Angel, gulping as he saw how flushed he was from the kiss. Alastor couldn't stop the words that left his mouth as he gazed down at Angel, eyes traveling anywhere that was within the confines of being Angel.  
"I think I love you, Anthony." 

Angel's eyes widened as he covered his now red face, sniffing slightly. Alastor panicked, recognising the sound of Angel crying.  
"Ah - I'm sorry if I said the wrong thing and upset you." He said, reaching down to stroke Angel's hair. Angel gently pulled his hands off of his face, revealing his tearful smile to Alastor, who felt a huge wave of relief crash over him.  
"No, Al. You said the right thing. No guy's ever told me he loves me and meant it. I know you mean it. You're the real deal." He sniffled, wrapping his arms around Alastor and pulling him close. "Call me by my name again, please?" He murmured. Alastor smiled gently and cupped Angel's cheeks as he leaned down to kiss his forehead.   
"I love you, Anthony." He said. Angel's smile widened as he leant up and kissed Alastor again, pouring all of his affection into it. Alastor smiled even wider against Angel's lips, eyes closed and head tilted to the side slightly as Angel's tongue once again made its way across Alastor's bottom lip. Alastor allowed his lips to part again, moving his tongue to meet Angel's feeling the other quiver under him, most likely from excitement. It felt incredible to be this close to him, to be shown how much Angel loved and trusted him rather than told; actions spoke louder than words. Alastor knew that Angel had been with his fair share of guys like this, but he could feel the chemistry, the connection between them. He bet that none of the other guys were able to hold Angel this close and make him feel this happy and safe.

And it was true. For the first time in a long while, Angel was truly enjoying being physical with a guy. He loved Alastor and he knew Alastor loved him, so Angel knew this was different from all of the other times. He was free from all guilt and doubt, knowing that he was - for the first time - 100% comfortable with doing this with someone. And he didn't even know how far they'd go, but he honestly didn't care. He'd be happy to wait even more if Alastor drew the line here for now and said he wasn't comfortable with going any further right now. Angel understood from first hand experience that nothing felt good if you weren't completely on board with that everything that was happening. He knew that Alastor had never been in a relationship before, and he knew that Alastor hadn't had sex either, so he expected that Alastor would want to stop and take a breath, to halt their actions and wait until another time.

But Alastor did the opposite. He pulled away slowly, panting gently as he looked down at Angel and smiled softly.   
"Do you want to do more?" He asked. "It's alright if you don't want to."   
Angel froze a little in shock. Was Alastor asking Angel if he wanted to have sex?   
"How much more?" Angel reached to cup Alastor's cheeks. Alastor licked his lips out of slight anxiety before answering.  
"You know how I feel about you and I know you feel the same. I trust you, and I've thought about it... I was wondering if you'd want to go all the way." He said gently, expecting a slap across the face for his forwardness - having not bought Angel dinner first or anything, but instead, he received a warm smile and a nod.  
"Yeah, I'd like that. I want to."

And with that, Alastor gulped as he looked down at Angel, smiling nervously as he removed his glasses, setting them on the bedside table as he leaned down to kiss Angel again, feeling even more passion in this one if it was possible. Alastor gasped softly when Angel led the creole's nervous hands to his hips as Angel's legs wrapped around Alastor's waist. A slight moan left Angel's lips as he felt his hips grind against Alastor's as they adjusted their position for comfort. Alastor knew that this was a sign that Angel liked it, so he repeated the action, slowly moving his hips against the other's causing the other to gasp and whine softly into the kiss. Alastor pulled away and gently kissed at the corners of Angel's lips as he continued to grind their hips together, allowing a slight groan to escape from his lips as he continued. Slowly, Angel's hands moved to unbutton Alastor's shirt, feeling the heat arise in his cheeks as he laid eyes on Alastor's bare chest. He'd seen it plenty, but this time it was different. He felt warm inside as Alastor gently tugged Angel's shirt over his head, allowing his warm, slightly calloused hands to trail down that smooth honey hued skin as he pressed a gentle kiss to Angel's jaw. Angel looked up at Alastor and bit his lip as he slightly tugged at the belt loops of Alastor's trousers, asking for approval. Alastor nodded and reached down, unbuckling his belt and undoing the button to his jeans, a blush covering his face. Angel reached forward and gently, carefully undid the zipper, allowing Alastor's strawberry coloured boxers to peek through the gap.

Angel felt the excitement rising in his core as he felt Alastor's gentle hands hovering over his own remaining clothing. Angel gave a nod and Alastor slowly untied the sash that was used as Angel's belt, unbuttoning the pair of shorts Angel had chosen to wear that day. Alastor gulped slightly as his shaky hands tugged the shorts down slightly, slowly getting them down Angel's thighs. Alastor's eyes traveled down Angel's body before snapping up to meet his gaze, face red. Alastor didn't know why, but he felt as though he couldn't look at Angel's body. It wasn't out of disgust or anything of the sort, he just felt like Angel wouldn't appreciate being stared at for too long. Angel gave Alastor a small giggle as he gently, slid Alastor's trousers down to his knees, about to say something before he was distracted by quite an interesting sight.  
"My god, Al... You're so hard." Angel remarked, causing Alastor to tense up, looking away bashfully. Angel pulled his shorts all the way off and gently dropped them on the floor next to his shirt. Alastor couldn't stop staring if he tried. Normally, Angel wouldn't like being stared at like this, but something about Alastor's gaze made him a little more comfortable with the body he'd found it so difficult to love.   
"You're exquisite, Anthony." Alastor murmured, tugging his jeans down more and kicking them off onto the floor, leaving them both in their underwear. Angel gently ran his hands down Alastor's chest before biting his lip.  
"Al, can I do something for you?" He asked, to which Alastor nodded.

Angel gently moved Alastor so he was sitting on the bed and laid on his stomach in front of him, gently moving a careful hand to slowly rub Alastor's hard length through his boxers, Alastor giving a sharp gasp as he slightly rolled his hips up. Angel licked his lips, pulling the waistband of Alastor's boxers down, allowing the air to hit the creole's hard-on. Angel had seen many of these before, it wasn't anything new, but this time felt different. Alastor made Angel feel untouched, pure, as if he was doing this for the first time. He slowly leaned his head down to lick a stripe up the length. Alastor gripped the sheets as Angel took it into his mouth, starting to bob his head up and down. Alastor shuddered and groaned, moving a hand to grasp Angel's hair gently.  
"Angel..!" He gasped. Alastor had never felt anything like this in his life. Angel giggled slightly as he started going a little faster, sucking and swirling his tongue around skillfully as he heard Alastor's moans encouraging him to keep going, which he did until he heard Alastor make a strangled sound of pleasure between a groan and a growl; and before Angel knew it, Alastor had released into his mouth, shocking Angel, who gasped before swallowing and pulling off. Despite having came, Alastor was still hard, which Angel didn't mind, as they hadn't gotten to the main event yet.

Alastor shuddered and looked down at Angel, who laid on his back and looked into Alastor's eyes as he led the other's hands to his own boxers, allowing the other to pull them down slowly, discarding them along with his own, dropping them in the pile of clothes on the floor. Angel maintained eye contact as he brought a hand to his mouth, sucking on three of his fingers as Alastor watched, feeling his mouth go dry. Alastor wasn't sure why Angel was doing this until he moved the hand between his legs, slowly and carefully inserting a finger into himself as he shut one of his eyes, biting his lip. He then added another, then the last one, shuddering and gasping as he prepared himself. Alastor watched, moving one hand to stroke Angel's hip, the other moving down to slowly stroke himself as he gazed down at Angel. He shuddered and bit his lip as he looked down at Angel, who gave Alastor a smile, biting his own lip in return. After Angel deemed himself ready, he removed the fingers and looked to Alastor, who leant down to kiss his cheek.  
"Are you ready, doll?" He asked. Angel nodded and leant to lick around Alastor's length as they had no actual lube, so they had to make do. Angel then laid back and wrapped his legs around Alastor, who placed his hands on Angel's hips, looking to see if there were any signs of dissent and finding none. Alastor then lined himself up before slowly pushing into Angel, who gasped and arched his back, not having done this in a long while.

After a few moments of adjustment, Angel rolled his hips experimentally, moaning and gasping. Alastor took that as a sign to move, giving careful, slow, deliberate thrusts. He groaned softly, leaning down to kiss at Angel's neck as he made love to him, smiling slightly as Angel was too - although it was a strange smile, lip bitten and small, breathy moans leaving his lips. Alastor had never lusted over anyone before, but as soon as he saw that smile he knew that Angel was exactly that - and angel. He was special; the exception to everything. The exception to the five foot rule, the exception to Alastor's disinterest in love, the exception to Alastor's non-sexuality. As Alastor began moving faster and a little harder, he heard something in Angel's voice that could only be described as love as he cried out Alastor's name, digging his nails into Alastor's shoulders, causing the creole to groan a little louder.   
"I'm... Gettin' close, sha..." Alastor managed to say, throwing away the _"proper"_ accent he'd been taught by one of his early school teachers. Angel gave a nod and gasped out something in agreement, causing Alastor to speed up even more, causing Angel to give a short, loud-ish scream as he came to a climax. Alastor didn't last long after that, releasing into Angel and slowing down until his pace was halted, panting slightly.

"I love you, Anthony." Alastor murmured as he pulled out and laid beside Angel, to turned to face Alastor, a wide, happy smile on his face.  
"I love you too, baby." He said simply, wrapping his arms around Alastor as they lazily threw the blanket down and just laid under the sheets, cuddling as they basked in the afterglow. It felt like everything was right in the world at that moment - and for the rest of the day, their minds were at ease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not the best at writing smut, please forgive me -


	7. Maybe I Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tension arises between the happy couple and Alastor allow fear to set in. Could his heart be broken?

Everyone could see that Angel was beautiful. His smooth, flawless honey coloured skin giving him a radiant, ever youthful glow as he walked down the halls of their small California high school, his slender, feminine frame attracting whoever looked at him. Even girls found themselves admiring how attractive he was, despite him being - very openly - gay. It didn't matter how much you tried to tear your eyes away, for better or for worse, everyone stared at Angel. It made sense that with such beautiful looks, he'd garner admirers. He remembered his first admirer, a Jacob Ross. Angel hadn't been too interested, as he wasn't really looking for a relationship, but he couldn't say no to such a hopeful boy. They dated for three weeks. After that came Brian Graham, the first boy that Angel had immediately returned feelings for. It never escalated to love, but it was special to Angel. During the Angel's second year of high school, word had spread around about the things he'd do. The first time - _his_ first time was gossiped about for a while, as Angel had slept with quite the chatterbox of a popular guy - Stolas. He was a hotshot son of some British old noble family, and now he was Angel's first lover. Word spread as fast as people assumed Angel's legs did. Angel had been met with conflict at the feeling of being the school slut, but he had to admit, it felt nice to be wanted. Angel had never loved his body; for as long as he could remember he was insecure about it. He stared at himself in the mirror and criticised himself endlessly, pointing out that he had some pudge there, or that he was too feminine, or that his lips were too full, or that the way his shoulders curved was weird. He couldn't bring himself to love the body he had. He'd laughed at the irony of a study he'd read, where girls who were happy with their bodies were more likely to abstain from sex than girls who weren't happy with their bodies. Angel wasn't a girl, but he knew that study applied to him as well, because as soon as he'd handed Stolas his V-card, Angel couldn't help but keep going. He'd always found it strange that he hated his body, and yet he let everyone see it; so he slept around, hoping to find some scrap of affection, appreciation, anything.

Then came Valentino Sporcizia. The mistake. Angel had fallen for the other Italian, who at the time, had a way with words that Angel hadn't been wooed with yet. He'd told Angel in their native tongue about his great beauty, about his splendour, about his angelic glow. He gave himself to Valentino wholly, clinging to the foolish fantasy of _"the One"_. He knew Valentino was telling the entire school what he did with Angel. He knew that Valentino made Angel dress in barely anything so he could show him off as if he were a collectable, not a person. But in some way, that made Angel feel just a little bit pretty. Then the hitting came. He never knew what he had done to upset Valentino, but there he was, slapping Angel across the face when he asked to be dropped home, punching him in the middle of sex when Angel didn't moan loud enough; once it had escalated to acute strangulation after Angel was seen talking to a guy, who was obviously only after one thing. Angel thanked god that he was good at hiding hickeys with makeup - it was the same principle for hand marks.

Angel had been called many things. A whore, a slut, a tramp, a tease, a trollop. He'd heard them all. He had accepted that this was what he was. This was what he was resigned to. No-one cared what was inside his head, they wanted his _head_. No one cared what he thought unless it was his opinion on their performance in bed, which he'd always say was good, that his world was rocked, he saw stars, the earth was moving... But on the inside, he begged and pleaded for all of this to stop. He wished he'd never agreed to sleep with Stolas. He wished he'd refused every guy to ask to sleep with him. He wished he hadn't met Valentino, because now all of it was coming back to bite him.

Alastor had known of Angel's promiscuity, but until now, he didn't know it was to such a scale. He assumed Angel's sexual encounters were the result of a relationship or at least shared feelings, but what Alastor had found out today had him floored. Alastor was sitting under the bleachers, being the only one in there as the gym was supposed to be closed off to students right now. Like Alastor could give a fuck. He grumbled to himself as he puffed on a cigarette - a habit he'd tried to kick for majority of high school - looking up at the gum covered bottom of the bench above him. He felt cheated. Why hadn't Angel told him about any of this? Why hadn't Angel waited? Why? Why? Why? Alastor's thoughts were interrupted by Angel crawling to meet him, a happy, blissfully ignorant smile on his face as Alastor had invited him to talk alone in their shared free period. Alastor's mood wasn't conveyed through text, so Angel's smile fell slightly as he saw Alastor _scowling_.  
"Baby, what's wrong?" He asked, gently reaching to brush Alastor's shoulder. Alastor felt an old habit come back as he shrunk away from Angel's touch, causing the other to frown softly. Alastor wanted to get right to the point, so he stood up where the bleachers wouldn't hit him on the head, seeing Angel follow him and stand up as well.   
"Angel, is it true that you used to sleep with whoever asked? That you used to just throw yourself at guys, looking for a fun time?" He asked. Angel's eyes widened as he shrunk into himself slightly. Angel knew he couldn't - and didn't want to - lie to Alastor.

"Yes." Angel answered simply. Alastor gave a scoff, stubbing out his cigarette in the brick wall and shaking his head.  
"Well... That's that then, isn't it?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. He wasn't worried about his reputation, he only felt like he'd been left in the dark, as if Angel had lied to him in some way. "I knew there would be something." He said. Angel's frown deepened as he looked at Alastor with hurt eyes.  
"What's that supposed to mean, Al? You don't think I'm cheating on you, right?" He asked. Alastor didn't know how to answer that, because that is what he felt like. With this new information, Angel would run off with the next guy that said something nice to him.  
"Not really. Just a little curious about why you didn't tell me." Alastor said. After having dropped the accent around Angel during their first time together, with his loss of trust in Angel, it came right back. Angel furrowed his eyebrows.  
"Why does it matter? I'm not with anyone but you." He said. Alastor couldn't help the huff that left his lips, as if he didn't believe Angel. The Italian felt the familiar feeling of heartbreak looming over him, threatening to cripple him at any moment.

Alastor would come to regret this conversation, but at the moment, he just looked at Angel, arms crossed and frown deep.  
"I don't know, I just heard something this morning. Vox and his crew were talking about you while you were in writing your name down for the play." Alastor hummed. Angel gasped softly, before sniffing. Alastor would beat himself up over it later, but right now he felt just a little numb to Angel crying.   
"I thought you didn't care what Vox said. You said he was an idiot. Why does my past matter, Al? I was young, I was desperate to be liked..." Angel heard Alastor grumble something that he wouldn't expect to hear from Alastor of all people. Alastor, the one who had helped him break up with Valentino, the one who had told him he loved Angel.  
"You still are, with the way you dress. And now you're justifying yourself to me." He had said. 

Angel's face changed from sadness to shock, then to anger as he brought his hand up and slapped Alastor right across the face, knocking his glasses off. Angel let angry tears roll down his cheeks as he looked at Alastor, who stood there in shock, feeling the sting on his right cheek where Angel had landed his left hand.   
"What the hell, Al!?" Angel sobbed, clenching his fists. "I thought you loved me, you jerkoff! You said you didn't care what I wore, you said that you wouldn't ditch me because of what people said!"   
Alastor remembered those words he'd said. He had let all of the jealousy he was feeling cloud his memory. He'd promised Angel to take care of him, and in the end, he had hurt him. With his words, he had hurt Angel, who loved him. With his blind ignorance, he'd hurt Angel, who had cried tears of joy upon hearing Alastor say he loved him. Alastor's eyes widened as he looked up at Angel, who stood there sobbing, digging his nails into his palms. Someone who had trusted Alastor with his heart, with his fragile emotions, was crying from the pain Alastor had brought unto him.  
"Angel, I-" Alastor was cut off by Angel turning around, back facing Alastor.

"I don't wanna hear it. Guys are all the same. Fuck me and then hurt me, that's all you wanna do. I need some space, Al." Angel said simply. Alastor reached after him, but Angel was already walking away; his normally elegant figure slumped over in sadness as he trudged to the door, letting it close behind him. Alastor bit his lip so hard it bled as he growled at himself. He had slut shamed his own boyfriend. He'd said things he didn't actually mean and he'd broken Angel's heart. Regret settled onto Alastor's shoulders as he realised that Angel could change his mind about loving him. Alastor, for the first time, crouched down into a ball and buried his face in his knees as he felt tears well up in his almost black eyes.  
"So stupid... All m'fault..." He hiccuped, feeling the fear of being broken up with dig into his core. He felt the bile rising in his throat as the weight of his actions bore down on his spine, the invisible force of guilt crushing him. The bell dismissing the students for the day went, allowing Alastor to grab his glasses and get up, grabbing his bag as he lightly jogged to his car so that no one would see him - getting in as quickly as possible and starting his drive home. 

Only, Alastor wasn't driving home. He found himself at the beach.


	8. Unconditionally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor talks it out with Angel.

Alastor had parked at the beach, burying his face in his hands as he allowed his tears to flow freely, to stream down and relieve just a smidgen of the pain he was feeling. As soon as Angel had left, he knew he'd fucked up - royally. He thought over what he could do to make Angel forgive him. No, he didn't deserve forgiveness, but he had to get Angel to at least speak to him again. He lifted his phone and dialed Angel's number, hearing the line ring a few times.  
"Pick up, pick up, pick up... Please, pick up..." He begged, biting his lip before he heard the beep. He sighed, about to hang up, but stopping himself. He could leave a message. He decided that was the best course of action and took a breath.  
"Angel. I know yer probably pissed off wit' me, and... I understand that. But I want ya ta know that I didn't mean none o'that. I really didn't wanna hurt ya, but I know I did. Ya don't hafta forgive me, but... I'm at the beach down the street from city hall, if ya wanted to talk. But if ya don't, I understand. I won't apologise over the phone, ya deserve it in person, and I hope you'll let me say to ya face ta face eventually. I love you, Anthony. I promise that I do." He said, sniffling as he brought together his words as best he could. He prayed that Angel would listen to the message at least. He didn't want things to end like this. 

Angel sat in his room, watching his phone ring, seeing a picture of his always smiling boyfriend cover the phone end to end, the caller ID showing _Al the Greaser_ in red hearts. He couldn't bring himself to pick up. After the phone stopped ringing, Angel sat there in silence, cuddling his teddy bear close to his chest as he let fresh tears fall down his face. He wasn't sure why Alastor didn't trust him, but he felt that old self hatred rise in himself. He had hated himself for a long time, and in his mature relationships, something always went wrong. With Valentino, he was abused and now with Alastor, he was slut shamed. The thing was, Angel knew he wasn't exactly in the wrong this time. With Valentino, he had always believed he'd done something to deserve what he got, but this time, he knew his past and his mistakes - that he'd learnt from - were being brought into a place where they needn't be. He saw his message notification pop up, announcing that he had a voice message. He took a breath and steeled himself before unlocking his phone and listening to that message. Alastor sounded so remorseful, so upset. Angel felt a slight ache in his chest as he listened to Alastor. He couldn't exactly call Alastor an abuser, because just like Angel, he'd made a mistake. He was young and experiencing his first relationship, and Angel was taking that into account now. He couldn't let things end like this.

After borrowing his father's keys, Angel found himself at the beach, parked next to Alastor's car, seeing the creole leaning against some railing and puffing on a cigarette. Alastor was eighteen already, so he had no qualms about smoking in public, as no one could stop him. Angel slowly made his way over, biting his lip as he kept his gaze at the ground.   
"Hey, Al." He greeted weakly. Alastor seemed to perk up as he put the cigarette out and threw it into the trash, looking at Angel.   
"Angel. Ya came." He said, his voice coated in relief. Angel didn't say anything more, so Alastor took the opportunity to apologise before Angel changed his mind and left.  
"I just wanted ta tell ya that I'm so sorry about what I said about ya. Y'were right, it ain't none of my business ta judge ya about yer past. Ya don't gotta forgive me, but I feel the worst for hurtin' ya. I love ya, Angel." Alastor looked at Angel, whose eyes slowly made their way up to meet his boyfriend's. Giving a sigh, Angel shook his head.  
"Yanno I'd never lie to you, Al. What you said hurt me a lot. But... I can forgive it. We all make mistakes. I know that what I did in the past was a mistake, but I honestly didn't even think it would bother you. If I'd have known, I would've told you, I guess. I keep forgetting that this is your first time dating someone."

Alastor smiled a little, reaching under his glasses to wipe slight tears away.  
"I think I could've handled m'reaction better though." He laughed a little. Angel gave a tearful laugh as well, wiping his own tears as they slid down his cheeks.  
"I think we just need to communicate better. I didn't know you cared this much about me." Alastor shook his head at this statement, taking Angel's hands.  
"I love ya, Anthony. I love ya more than I could possibly say. Yer part of my family now. Even though we're young, I feel like this is it." Alastor said, looking up at Angel. Angel squeezed Alastor's hands and bit his lip.  
"So... From now on, I'll tell you stuff whenever you ask. And... Maybe you could just try and be a little more forgiving about my past? I regret it too, but... I can't take it back. All I'm trying to do is keep on with my studies and life. I wanna make you happy, Al."

Alastor smiled his usual bright smile, making Angel smile one of his own. Compromise; something Angel was perfectly good at. He was kind and considerate of everyone's wants and needs and moulding his own to align with them. He leaned down and pressed a loving kiss on Alastor's forehead and then his lips, cupping the creole's slightly damp cheeks, holding him closer as their eyes closed and they stepped closer to each other. Slowly pulling away after a few moments, Alastor and Angel said nothing more as they turned to look at the earlier than usual sunset bleed orange and pink into the blue skyline, interlocked like Angel and Alastor's hands.


	9. Here Comes The Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel and Alastor did it. They got through.

Angel and Alastor sat in the car, feeling the Autumn breeze pass through the rolled down windows as they looked at each other with their hands interlocked. They'd accomplished what seemed impossible - they'd made it through high school. That hormonal pit of sin and anxiety had given them their fair share of stress, but now it was over. They sat in the car, which was parked a little away from the school's gym, where the graduation party was being held. Alastor had picked Angel up, his breath being stolen from him as he laid eyes upon his gorgeous boyfriend.

Instead of a suit, Angel was wearing a floor length evening gown in his signature colour, baby pink. It had a bare back, but the strings that connected to the straps crossed over his exposed, tan, smooth skin. Because he was already quite tall, Angel had forgone giant stilettos and instead went for a pair of white Docs, which Alastor found enchanting. His hair was freshly bleached blonde again and due to him not trimming it in a while, it gently curled around his face, providing a glow worthy of his namesake. A simple gold chain with a cross hung from his neck and he wore a pair of pearl earrings that Alastor had given him for his birthday. Alastor opened the door for Angel, gently closing it afterwards and going to his side, getting back into the car and starting the drive.   
"You look... Wow, Sha. Ya truly outdid yerself." Alastor babbled slightly. 

Angel gave a giggle and looked to Alastor, smiling widely, his pearly whites gleaming against his honey golden face.   
"Aw, thanks, babe! Funny comin' from you, lookin' all debonair. You're so handsome tonight, I better not catch ya flirtin' with no one." Angel joked, seeing Alastor scoff.  
"I would never! Ain't none of those fools from school as gorgeous as you, Anthony. You're the most beautiful person I ever seen up close."  
Alastor said as he parked the car. 

And so here they sat, waiting a little before going in. They knew their friends would be there, but they were just patiently waiting until the moment felt right. Angel pulled out his phone and took a picture with Alastor, sending it to Mrs. LeBlanc. Alastor's smile had never been so wide yet genuine as he sat next to Angel, holding his hand and just enjoying his presence. He let his eyes move over Angel, not in lust, but in sheer amazement of how incredible he looked tonight. Not long after the picture was taken, Angel exhaled and looked to Alastor.  
"Ready when you are, hon." He said. Alastor nodded and opened the car door, getting out and going to open Angel's for him before taking his hand and locking the car as they walked to the double doors of the gym.   
"Let's say our parting words to this dumpster fire, doll." Alastor laughed as they walked into the party at full swing, people dancing, talking and some sitting around; it didn't really matter, though. It seemed like everyone was having fun, and that's what mattered, at least to Alastor. He and Angel strolled up to Charlie, who was dancing with Vaggie to some pop song that Alastor didn't know, while Angel sung the lyrics quietly.  
"Having fun, dear?" Alastor asked. Charlie saw Alastor in his nice clean red suit and giggled as she opened her arms for a hug - which he allowed - and squeezing him tightly.   
"Al! Oh my God, the two of you look amazing! Angel, I love your dress." She said, causing Angel to giggle a little and blush.   
"Aw, thanks, Cha-Cha. I made it with Al's momma." Angel said, to which Alastor beamed proudly. He adored how well the two most important people in his life got along, even going as far as to do things like make Angel's formal dress together. 

The four graduates talked for a while before two familiar figures came up to them, holding hands. Husk wasn't letting anyone near his little sister, if that was the last thing he did. The group had a laugh before Charlie was summoned to the stage, clearing her throat.  
"And now, I am proud to present your classmates and their words of wisdom! First up, we have Angel Ragni!" She cheered into the microphone. Everyone still thought Angel was about as sharp as a feather stuffed pillow, but he honestly didn't mind. He was going to tell these people what he had to say, and that was it.  
Angel made his way up to the stage, kissing Alastor's cheek before he walked up. He then got in front of the podium, clearing his throat as he leant in to speak into the microphone.

"Hi, everyone. You all know me, I'm sure."  
He started, causing Valentino's table to give some hoots and whistles. He just smirked at Valentino before continuing.  
"These last few years were difficult for everybody, I promise. While you were angry at someone for making your life Hell, they were blaming someone else for the exact same thing. As teenagers, we make mistakes, we feel heavy emotions and can't regulate them, because that part of our brain isn't fully developed yet. Adults may say we're moody, or entitled, but we all just feel things. And as much as that made high school hard, it also allowed us to make lasting relationships with one another. I personally found my group of friends through the somewhat weird idea that Charlie had, which was joining 'at risk' students together. Even though people made fun of it, it worked. I got my life together after meeting a guy at Charlie's party. He saw something in me that no one else did, and that's what inspires me to move through every day. So here are my words of wisdom for you; no matter how useless or unimportant you may feel... There's always gonna be someone who sees worth in you. You just have to cherish that person and show them they were right, that you are worth something. Because you are. Under your designer clothes, your money, or your makeup... You're worth something to someone. Thank you, and congratulations, class of 2019!"  
Angel then walked offstage, hearing applause and seeing that some people were confused. Angel, the pass around? He could say actual coherent sentences? 

Angel just scoffed and went back to his group of friends, who had saved him a seat at the table. He sipped at the cola that was poured for him by Niffty before sighing gently, leaning his head against Alastor's shoulder.  
"Very well spoken, Angel. That was a wonderful speech, darling." He said as he leaned down to kiss Angel's temple. Angel just shrugged and smiled.  
"I am pretty smart, or did ya forget? We got into the same college, didn't we?" He asked. Alastor smiled and nodded.  
"Yes, we did. I'm going to be a radio host, and you, my dear, will grace the stage with the finest acting the world has ever seen." 

Angel looked around at his table of close friends. Charlie was going to Yale in order to be a criminal psychologist, Vaggie was going through training to become a self defense teacher, Husk was going to college through the military, and Niffty was going to become a professional seamstress. He and Alastor had made arrangements to go to the same university and somehow get to be roommates, which was a bonus for them. After all of the ups and downs of the high school experience, they were onto college, which was going to be a whole new ball game - but they'd be fine. All they had to do was keep relying on each other when they needed it, and it'd last all the way through. 

Alastor gently cupped Angel's face, letting their eyes meet before closing his own and leaning in to kiss Angel's whose eyes fluttered closed as well. Alastor leaned his head to the side as Angel did the same, bringing him closer. As they kissed, everything seemed right in the world. It was perfect, and that was all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so very much for reading! This was a nice little happy piece as reprieve from my last work, which was very sad and alarming. The story after this will be quite comedic and have its fair share of laughs! I hope you'll read the next one!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading my story, I appreciate your support!


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